CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — Thousands of devotees are expected to flock at the Pampanga Provincial Capitol grounds for the 62nd anniversary of the Canonical Coronation of Virgen de los Remedios on September 8.
Pampanga Archbishop Florentino Lavarias will lead the anniversary celebration highlighted by the Holy Mass at 4:00 a.m. The complete
name of the celebration is the Crusade of Penance and Charity of the Santo Cristo Del Pedron and Virgen de los Remedios.
Last year, it was held on the same venue and it was attended by at least 10,000 people. This year, the attendees may double because it
will be held on a Saturday, said Fr. Jess Mananbat, Archdiocesan Director of the Crusade.
Manabat said “the purpose of the crusade to narrow the gap between the rich and the poor and end violence still hold true until today.”
“It’s very timely because we call an end to extra-judicial killings happening nowadays,” added Manabat.
In 1952, Most Rev. Cesar Maria D. Guerrero, the first archbishop of Pampanga, started the crusade “to remedy the surging tide of the
social unrest in the province,” according to the study of Charles Henry Espiritu, director of the Outreach Ministry of the University of
the Assumption.
“The sight of this chaos and reign of terror in the province coupled with knowledge that the Capampangans were so profoundly religious were
at odds because lack of mutual understanding and fraternal relations between the different social classes, thus the bishop (Guerrero)
uttered: Here in Pampanga, there is much piety but little charity,” added the study to explain why Guerrero started the crusade.
Guerrero did not seek help from the military but pinned his hopes on the faith and devotion of the Capampangans to the Virgin Mary, Manabat
said.
On July 15, 1956, during the Pontificate of Pope Pius XII, the Vatican issued a decree on the Canonical Coronation of the image of
the Virgen de los Remedios. The earlier request of Guerrero to the Vatican was granted.